The invention is related to conference calling, and more specifically, to systems and methods for reminding an individual of an upcoming conference call, and for facilitating or automating the process of connecting an individual to a conference call.
In a typical situation, an individual that wishes to participate in a conference call must dial an access telephone number just before the conference call is to begin. Once connected to the conference call bridge, the individual is asked for an access code. The individual can provide the access code by dialing a series of digits on his telephone keypad, or possibly by speaking the access code. Assuming the access code is valid, the individual's telephone is then connected to the conference call.
Some known systems for connecting an individual to a conference call can be configured to place an outgoing telephone call from the conference call bridge to the individual's telephone. In some instances, as soon as the individual answers the call, he is connected to the conference call. In other instances, after answering the call the individual must provide an access code before being connected to the conference call. Regardless, such a system can be advantageous in that the individual need not remember when to dial into the conference call, and the individual need not place a call, or remember the access telephone number, in order to be connected to the conference call.
Unfortunately, in order for such a system to operate, it must be pre-configured with the telephone numbers of those individuals that are to participate in the conference call. In addition, the conference call bridge must have the capability to place outgoing telephone calls, potentially on a large number of telephone lines, to add individuals to the conference call. If the conference call bridge lacks this capability, it is still necessary for the individual to remember when to dial into the conference call, and the individual must also have the access code available once the individual has been connected to the conference call bridge.
Moreover, when an administrator or individual in charge of setting up the conference call must enter a list of telephone numbers so that the conference call bridge can dial out to participants, control rests with that administrator. An individual who wishes to participate in the conference call does not have control over whether he will be added to the list, and/or whether the conference call bridge will call to add the individual to the conference call.
What is needed is a system that automates the process of connecting an individual to a conference call, even when the conference call bridge itself lacks any ability to place outgoing telephone calls to participants to add them to the conference call. Also, even if the conference call bridge has this capability, it would be desirable to have an alternate way of automatically connecting an individual to a conference call to relieve an administrator of the burden of pre-configuring a list of participant telephone numbers, and for those instances where one or more individuals who wish to participate in a conference call are mistakenly not added to such a list of telephone numbers. Further, it would be desirable for an individual to have an independent way of causing his telephony device to be automatically connected to a conference call, which does not rely upon an administrator's actions.